Eleven Bulldogs Earn All-Ivy Honors

Nov 22, 2005

Nov. 22, 2005

Eleven members of the 2005 Yale football team earned All-Ivy League honors this fall during the 4-6 (4-3 Ivy) season, including a pair of first-team selections and the rookie of the year, running back Mike McLeod.

The two first-team picks - both juniors from the offense -- were receiver Ashley Wright and tackle Ed McCarthy. Wright led the league with 61 catches, 795 yards and 10 touchdowns. McCarthy, the 2003 Ivy Rookie of the Year and a second-team pick last fall, has now earned league honors at three different positions on the offensive line. He helped the Bulldogs average 375 yards of total offense while allowing just 11 sacks.

McLeod, who earned Ivy Rookie of the Week honors three times this fall, was the leading rusher among all Ivy newcomers and was third among all freshman in I-AA for all-purpose yardage. He also earned a spot on the All-Ivy second team. Yale has now had two of the last three Ivy League Rookies of the Year, while head coach Jack Siedlecki has had three during his nine seasons in New Haven.

Yale had six offensive players earn league honors with five on the defense. Five seniors earned an Ivy award, while four juniors, a sophomore and a freshman also garnered All-Ivy tags.

Mroz, who tied the school record with 22 TD passes, led the Ivies in two offensive categories and threw a TD pass in every game this fall. He had multiple TDs in seven games and went over 300 yards four times. The 2005 team captain has 37 career TD passes (2nd at Yale) including a school-record five against Cornell on Sept. 24.
Seniors DL Andrew Ralph (16-10-26, 2 sacks) and DB Matt Handlon (36-38-74, 2 int), juniors LB Lee Driftmier (54-35-89, 5 ints) and OG Brett Crandall and sophomore DT Brandt Hollander (19-22-41, 2 sacks) were all honorable mentions.

There are always some surprises when the coaches vote for these squads, but the toughest one to figure out might be Driftmier, who led the Bulldogs in tackles, interceptions and fumble recoveries (3) and was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week and I-AA.org Player of the Week twice in 2005.

Of Yale's 2005 All-Ivy picks, only McCarthy and Dyches (HM in `04) were two-time selections.